Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-11-11
FEEDING APPLES.
Experiments Recently Mado by We'll.
Known Vermont AErIcmItnrlat.

Experiments Recently Mado by well
Known Vermont Agrlcuiturist.
There can not DO any one safe rule o.
universal application in regard to feed
ing apples to milch cows unless it be
Begin moderately, note we'll the result
and increase the quantity with care and
moderation. There are a great many
circumstances which have important
influences upon the results. There is a
very wide difference in apples, and
cows may safely eat great many moro
of one kind than of another There is
even wider difference in the condi-
ton of the cows themselves rs to their
ability to digest and assimilate the
food, resulting from the kind and
amount of tho other food they arc re-
cciving and their habits of eating. A
COW which Is receiving regular grain
ration will bear good deal larger
feeding of apples without injurious re-
suits than one which is kept on short
pasture feed. In my experience ap-
pies give good deal better results
when fed with grain than when fed in
the place of grain. The grain seems to
have corrective effect. Theoretically,
should expect apples to have
the best effect when fed with
heavy grain, such as corn-meal or cot
ton-seed; but I have not found
such to be the case. The same weight
of wheat bran gives much better re-
suits. can not account for the differ
ence, unless it be upon the principle
that tile bran absorbs more moisture
and prevents the active fermentation
which appears to be the evil agent in
the case. But have not carried my
experiments in apple feeding far
enough to have any very positive con-
victions ms to their value. On the other
hand, l am inclined to think less of
them the longer l feed them. l have
always got more satisfactory results
from them when fed to growing or fat
tening animals than when fed to milch
cows. have been feeding them all
the fall, and have considerable sup
ply yet; but, while I can make flesh
with them, do not believe they have
paid the cost of picking up, in milk.
Perhaps the trouble in the present case
is that my apples are all sour. / should
much prefer giving away apples to any
body who can make good use ofthem,
to feeding them in any considerable
quantities to cows giving milk. II
should feel quite certain in that case
that if they do not do any good they
will not do any hurt, which l confess l
do not feel quite certain of when feed
ing them to COWS.
L do not like to go upon record from
any single experiment, but my distrust
of apples as milk food is such that l
made small experiment, which l am
willing to give for what it is worth. l
began feeding few transcendent crab
apples to a cow which was receiving at
each milking-time three pounds of bran
and corn-meal, mixed in the proportion
of two of bran to one of meal, by |
measure. l continued increasing the |
apples. and after a few days began to
decrease the grain, till was feeding a
peck of apples and no grain. followed |
the apple-feeding two weeks, when the
of milk was so much that |
was unwilling to carry it further with
out the grain, and began the retreat by
restoring the bran portion of the grain
ration while keeping up the full feed of
apples. l finally increased the bran
until the full weight of the original
ration was given. The flow of milk is
slowly increasing, but much doubt if
ever again get rs much rs should if
the grain had been continued either
without or with the apples. But for the
experiment l am quite sure that there
would not have been so much shrink
age of her milk before the close of the
year, as she will not calve before May.
The crab, though a rich apple, is so
very juicy that it may not be safe to
draw general conclusions from any use
of it alone; but it was the only we'll
known variety of which had an abun-
dance for the experiment, and desired
to contine myself to some single known
sort. Perhaps other sorts would not
have done so poorly, though know it
is good flesh producer. There is evil
IDENTIFY great deal yet to be learned
upon this subject.-O. S. Bliss, in N.
Y. Examiner.